The Mansfield Fine Arts Guild was founded as a non-profit, visual arts organization in 1945. The first exhibition was held in May 1946 at the Mansfield Public Library. In its early years the Guild presented exhibitions and conducted classes in the private homes of its member artists. In 1968 the Guild hired its first full-time Director, H. Daniel Butts, and set about establishing a permanent home. The Guild set up exhibition and studio space at 40 South Park Street. In 1969, Clara Louise Black deeded eight acres of land to the Guild and that fall the renowned architect, Don Hisaka was engaged to design the building. Construction began in the summer of 1970 and in 1971 the Mansfield Art Center, as we know it today, opened it’s doors. In 2014 the Ohio Historical Society listed the Mansfield Art Center as one of the top 100 architectural buildings in Ohio.

The Mansfield Art Center presents 14 visual art exhibitions each year which include 6 major regional exhibitions in our Main GalleryS, 7 smaller exhibitions in our Foundation Gallery, and our annual Holiday Fair which showcases the art of nearly 200 Ohio artists. Each year our education team prepares and delivers 4 full quarters of on-site art instruction. We co-direct the Kennedy Center Partners in Education Partnership. We support local artists through our weekly open studio and exhibits of local artists work.